Jain Journal 1990 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 38

Jain Theory of Measurement and Theory
of Transfinite Numbers
NAVJYOTI SINGH
[From the previous issue]
Jain Theory of Measurement and Hierarchy of Actual Infinities
Notion of measure is central to Jain ontology and to an overall intellectual enterprise of Jain theoreticians. The Jains had a passion for giving measures of plural facets of reality right from the early days of Jainism. Integral part of their cosmological concern was measures of various facets of geographical, geological and astronomical realms.“ Measures of various classes of souls with respect to their spatial extent, temporal stability and population was a unique and passionate concern of Jain thinkers. 42 It is only in this context that the theory of physical infinities and transfinite numbers was evolved by Jain theoreticians.
Reality for Jain thinkers was characterised by a unified simultaneous presence of apparently contradictory fact of change and the fact of permanence of change. 43 Permanence and change (origination, cessation) together characterised substrate of real and it was dialectics of the two that formed basis of Jain philosophical thought. This essential dialectics of permanence and change was apprehended with the concepts of dravya and paryāya.44 Dravya was the principle of continuity which remains unchanged through the changes and paryāya was the principle
41 Jain cosmos was divided into 3 sections (a) Urdhvaloka—astronomical realm (b)
Adholoka--geological realm (c) Tiryakloka geographical realm.
For details of this cosmological division see Ganitanuyoga. * Satkhandagama, its commentary Dhavala and Nemicandra's Gomatasara. Most
ancient attempt to this end can be found in Bhagavatisutra and
Anuyogadvarasutra. 43 Central Jain ontological dictum was/utpadavyayadhrauvyayuktam sat/'real is
endowed with origination, cessation and persistence', Tatvarthasutra. Also Pravacanasara [23]. Hemacandra formulates it as central epistemological dictum in Pramanamimamsal pramanasya visayo dravyaparyayarthika vastu/ 'object of knowledge are entities having dravya as well as paryaya aspect'.